Rebounds

Assists

Turnovers

Pts off Turnovers

2nd Chance Pts

Pts in the Paint

Fastbreak Pts

Bench Pts

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart women's basketball team (6-10, 2-3 NEC) returns to the Pitt Center hardwood for the first time in the calendar year to avenge a 2017 Northeast Conference Semifinals upset loss, Monday, January 15 against Bryant (3-12, 2-2 NEC). The highly anticipated matchup is slated for a 1:00 p.m. tip.

SHU leads the all-time series with Bryant 15-11, and have won three of the last four contests against the Bulldogs. The matchup sits a 9-5 in the past five seasons for SHU. The last time the Bulldogs picked up a regular season win over SHU came on January 30, 2016 that favored the Pioneers, 61-59. The two teams have a history of keeping things close. The most recent time a game was decided by double-digits, besides last season, fell on January 28, 2013 where the Pioneers reigned victorious 62-44.

2017 Northeast Conference Semifinals…

Sacred Heart hosted the Bulldogs of Bryant in the NEC Semifinals on March 8, 2017. In the postseason matchup, then-Pioneer Adaysha Williams emitted a career-high 26 points before Bryant picked up a 75-68 upset over SHU.

Both the Bulldogs and Pioneers played a competitive back-and-forth first 20 minutes as the score stood at 25-19 at the intermission.

With steam, right out of the locker-room, Williams rattled off 10 points through the first four minutes of the third despite carting three fouls in the onset. was on fire to start the third, as she picked up 10 points for SHU in the opening four minutes of play.

The Bulldogs held the Pioneers scoreless for the final quarter's first four minutes before Haines severed her team's cold-stretch with a make at the stripe. Hannah Kimmel drained a momentum-changing three to put SHU back within six, 54-48.

Bryant netted back-to-back triples moving the score to 60-48 with 4:00 left in regulation. Erin Storck drilled a trey moments later followed by a layup from Williams to cut the Bulldog lead to 62-53 with 2:01 to go. Shelby Hickey cashed in on a bucket from downtown before fouling out, as the score stood 64-56. SHU continued to pounce but its efforts were overshadowed by the Bulldogs' production as the foe held on and cut the Pioneers' run short, 75-68.

Pioneers last time out…

After trailing for a considerable portion, clutch execution nearly bailed Sacred Heart out as the Pioneers managed to bring the game back within single-digits with the shot-clock turned off for good. However, host Central Connecticut punished the Pioneers at the line to take the Northeast Conference battle, 69-59, Saturday afternoon at Detrick Gymnasium.

Despite facing a double-digit deficit late in the third quarter, Adrianne Hagood's successful trip to the line following her hard take to the cup saw the Pioneers behind by only nine with 8:36 left to play. Patterson on the side of Central drained a dagger from the outside moments after to put the hosts back up 12, 52-40.

The Pioneers refused to back off as SHU cut into single-digits again following a make from beyond the arc released by Tykera Carter, 62-54, with 43 seconds to go.

Competing against the clock, SHU sent Central Connecticut to the line eight times, where the Blue Devils generated seven points. Another Hagood showing at the stripe made it an eight-point game with 35 seconds pictured on the scoreboard. Erin Storck's triple from the wing saw the Pioneers down seven with the shot-clock turned off. CCSU split the next trip to the stripe but an empty possession by the Pioneers followed which put the scoring efforts at rest, surrendering the 10-point ball game.

Bulldogs last time out…

Sophomore Sydney Holloway had 14 points and 10 rebounds and redshirt junior Naomi Ashley scored 12 points and had four rebounds as Bryant came away with a 65-48 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson at the Stratis Arena in Hackensack.

In the winding seconds of the first quarter, Holloway ripped down an offensive rebound and scored the put-back and go-ahead layup to give the Bulldogs a two-point lead. Bryant would remain in the driver's seat for the remainder of the game.

Coach's Corner…

Head Coach Jessica Mannetti stated. "Bryant is similar to us. They're young and I think they do a good job executing the things they want to do. They have two post players that are really dominant on a two-post three-guard offense. They do a really good job playing their game and forcing a mismatch against you. I think for us against a team like Bryant, we have to score and that's something that we have to continue to do. We have to score, we have to put numbers up in transition and we have to put pressure on them to defend."

Freshman guard Olivia Dabney began. "If we take out their energy and anything they really use to motivate them to score and get them going then I think that really helps us. We really want to focus on us but getting them out of the game and having to go to different kinds of options which helps us out."

Considering Northeast Conference production alone, the Pioneers are outrebounding their opponents on the offensive glass, 62-51. Katherine Haines' paint presence and keen timing on misses have allowed the forward to raise for 14 of SHU's 51 offensive rebounds. Her prowess doubles the stat of the second team-leading figure. Candice Leatherwood has won seven balls off the Pioneers' backboard.

Box out…

Inside the NEC window, the Pioneers are only being topped in their rebounding efforts, 197-172. This comes after being hounded on the glass, 509-399, in the non-conference slate. All games considered, Katherine Haines leads the team with 10.4 boards per game having grabbed 125 total. Erin Storck has earned the second-most rebounds with 62 but Candice Leatherwood's 60 dispersed amongst her 13 games played upstages Storck, 4.6 rpg. Storck averages 3.9 rebounds each time out as she has been featured in every contest this year.

Droppin' dimes…

Candice Leatherwood drops a team-leading 4.0 dimes per game and 3.0 per NEC contest. The guard came to Fairfield, Connecticut already carrying 93 helpers and now has 145 to her collegiate career. Her personal-best stands at eight assists registered against Hofstra.

Ericka Norman of the women's hoops 2012-13 squad holds the single-season record dishing out 6.9 dimes per game while accumulating 229 for the year.

Tykera Carter helps on 1.8 makes per game having distributed nine assists in NEC play. Hagood has distributed eight total dimes in league action.

At the line…

When the Pioneers hit less free-throws than their opponent, SHU is 2-5. When SHU drains more than its counterpart, the Pioneers are 4-5.

The Pioneers are knocking down more than double than what their NEC opponents are and are shooting 75-percent (91-of-120). Their rivals are hitting 71-percent of their tries but that only accounts for 38 makes of 53 total.

Adrianne Hagood earns the most trips to the line in league play being granted 8.4 free-throws a game. She nets 6.2 an outing for a third-best 73-percent. Katherine Haines leads the club as an 86-percent free-throw shooter but only gets to the line three times a contest. Erin Storck and Asia McCray are perfect free-throw shooters going 4-of-4 and 2-of-2, respectively. Candice Leatherwood has netted the second-most tries (20-of-26) with Tykera Carter close behind her drilling 16 free-throws, 22 total attempts.

Bring it home…

SHU is still searching for its first Northeast Conference home victory. Saint Francis U and Robert Morris steamrolled the Pioneers inside the Pitt Center to commence league action for SHU. Since the Pioneers have gone 2-1 nabbing wins on the road. SHU has a chance to capture its first victory in front of a home crowd not only in NEC play but for the calendar year.

Give me one more chance…

Of its 16 outings thus far, Sacred Heart has only secured more second-chance points than its opponents on four separate occasions, two by only by one tally. Against Monmouth to open the season, the Pioneers edged the Hawks in the category 7-6 prior to a 69-64 loss. The Pioneers eked out the favorable 12-11 clip before a 73-68 victory over Florida A&M. However, in a 30-point victory over Mount St. Mary's, the Pioneers benefitted 11 second-chance points to the Mountaineers' four. Most recently, SHU upstaged Wagner 15-12.

Of the 331 total points recorded as second-chance opportunities, Sacred Heart only credits 109 of them which accounts for only 32.9-percent.

SHU was exploited most by then nationally ranked Florida State, 27-3, and Brown, 22-3. In both contests, Sacred Heart gave up 100-plus points.

Makin' 'em pay for their mistakes, sort of…

The Pioneers exploited Wagner and forced the Seahawks to commit 26 turnovers a week ago which are more than the Seahawks averaged on the season (24.8).

Of the Seahawks' 26 miscues, SHU redeemed 28 points while Wagner benefited nine off of the Pioneers' ten turnovers.

Against Central, SHU owned the Blue Devils in points off of turnovers 18-11. The Blue Devils committed just two shy of Wagner.

Considering just the NEC window of play, the Pioneers are profiting more points off of turnovers than its counterparts in head-to-head matches. Of the 170 points netted following mistakes, SHU is adding 99 to its side of the scoreboard leaving only 71 points for their opponents. SHU's dominance is the category accounts for 58.2-percent of the points off of turnovers.

SHU is 2-2 when they swish more points following turnover situations than its foes. Saint Francis U is the only NEC team thus far to top the Pioneers in the stat, 24-10.

We all make mistakes…

In conference, Erin Storck has been the most susceptible to turning the rock over having done so 18 times. Candice Leatherwood and Tykera Carter are the only other Pioneers to have committed double-digit turnovers accumulating 12 and 10, respectively. Adrianne Hagood has squandered eight possessions.

In fairness, that trio accounts for 653 minutes played which translates to 65.3-percent of the team's time on the hardwood. Moreover, that same cohort makes up 222 of the squad's 318 total points (69.8--percent).

Candice Leatherwood, Adrianne Hagood, Tykera Carter, Erin Storck and Katherine Haines are the only Pioneers to have led SHU's offensive output in at least one game. Leatherwood is the lone Pioneer to have a winning record when she leads the charge, 2-1. Leatherwood netted 23 points against Manhattan and rewrote her career-high at Mount St. Mary's (24) both serving as Pioneer wins. She put up a team-leading 19 points in a loss at Monmouth.

SHU is 2-2 when Storck is the student-athlete in the scoring forefront. She contributed a career-high 29 and 15 points in wins versus Providence and Lehigh, respectively. Her 23 points came in a loss at Brown and her 16 in a setback at Florida State.

Carter (1-2) and Haines (1-2) have each added a victory when they drop team-leading scoring numbers. Hagood (0-3) has yet to put up a team-best in a win.

When at least one Pioneer finishes with 20 or more points, SHU is 5-4.

Leatherwood (41.5-percent) and Storck (40.6-percent) are tied for thirteenth and 15th, respectively.

Leatherwood is third in the league with 4.0 assists per game. Carter's 2.1 apg slots her 15th.

Storck's 37.1-percent clip from distance ranks her eighth in the conference.

Storck competes for 35.8 minutes in each contest which is the most of any NEC student-athlete.

The bullies for the Bulldogs…

Taking into account conference play only, Sydney Holloway is spearheading Bryant's offense with 19.3 points per game on 36.4-percent shooting. Hannah Scanlan is the only other Bulldog putting up double-figures in scoring averaging 11.5 points a contest.

Holloway also leads the Bulldogs on the glass grabbing 10.8 balls off the backboard.

Naomi Ashley has raked in 16 dimes total as the floor general with Kierra Palmer not too far behind with 12.

Bryant's shoots a lowly 17-percent from downtown but 37.1-percent from the field. The Bulldogs are toting a 75.9-percent clip from the stripe.